Skin science article
BYOMA Hydrating Serum Versus First Aid Beauty Hydrating Serum With Hyaluronic Acid
BYOMA Hydrating Serum Versus First Aid Beauty Hydrating Serum With Hyaluronic Acid This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier. This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate
BYOMA Hydrating Serum Versus First Aid Beauty Hydrating Serum With Hyaluronic Acid
This hydrating serum is formulated around Squalane and Ceramide NP to hydrate skin and strengthen the skin barrier.
This hydrating serum is formulated around Sodium Hyaluronate and Colloidal Oatmeal to hydrate skin and calm redness.
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Glycerin
Butylene Glycol
Squalane
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
Ceramide NP
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Cholesterol
Phytosphingosine
Stearic Acid
Oleic Acid
Hydroxyacetophenone
Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Caprylyl Glycol
Glyceryl Oleate
Lactic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol
Sorbitan Isostearate
Sodium Phytate
Xanthan Gum
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Tocopherol
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Oleate, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Phytate, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Glycereth-26
Sodium Hyaluronate
Soluble Collagen
Colloidal Oatmeal
Panthenol
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Allantoin
Sorbitan Oleate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Sodium PCA
Phenoxyethanol
Sodium Hydroxide
Potassium Sorbate
Sodium Benzoate
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Colloidal Oatmeal, Panthenol, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium EDTA
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Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!